lobbyist

noun

lob·​by·​ist ˈlä-bē-ist 

plural lobbyists

: one who conducts activities aimed at influencing or swaying public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation : a person engaged in lobbying public officials

The new rule says that if you were a registered lobbyist in the past two years, you can't work for the administration on any issue you touched. After you leave government, you can't lobby the administration at all.

—Jacob Weisberg

Because so many lobbyists have past experience on Capitol Hill, they usually have personal ties both to members of congress and to their key staffers, who vet and prioritize the earmark requests.

—Ken Silverstein

Examples of lobbyist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Two others involved in the scheme – Sean McCluskie, a longtime chief of staff for Becerra, and California lobbyist Greg Campbell – agreed to plea deals in the case. —Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 14 Nov. 2025

As world leaders and thousands of researchers, activists and lobbyists meet in Brazil at the 30th annual United Nations climate conference, there is plenty of frustration that the world isn’t making progress on climate change fast enough. —Stacy D. Vandeveer, The Conversation, 14 Nov. 2025

The group’s analysis singled out the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) for bringing 148 lobbyists to COP30. —Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025

In the pic, Ameen plays Anderson Toussaint, a young American lobbyist for an investment fund in Haiti who becomes entangled in a web of corruption and power struggles after gaining access to President Jovenel Moise’s inner circle. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lobbyist

• hobbyist